Ladies' Choice (re-uploading SOON)

CHAPTER FIVE

Taking a breath, my eyes trained on Tina, who kicked the ball towards me. It skittered through the grass, and I passed it back to Skipper. Skipper kicked it up, and a roar exploded from the girls behind me as my thick head connected with the ball, launching it at Elena, the goalie. As she lunged for it, I stumbled, and my knee hit the ground.

The ball smacked the pocket of the net and Skipper hooted and hollered and tackled me to the ground. "Let's go!"

I screamed with laughter.

"What a showoff!" Melanie shouted from the rest of the group, waiting for their turn to practice crossing and shooting.

"Don't be jealous," I teased, biting my tongue at her.

She rolled her eyes, but everyone could see her smile. I was on fire today.

­­"­­Elena, are we planning to stop any balls this practice?" Coach Lawson asked, raising his arms in mock resurrection. Coach Lawson, the messiah of high school girls' soccer.

"I'm not dignifying that with a response," Elena said. Her immobile facial expression might unsettle the masses if worn by another girl. On Elena, she just looked cool. Nothing bothered Elena Moreno unless she let it. Wish I could relate. In a rubber versus glue scenario, everything stuck to me.

The word "empty" still scratched the back of my brain.

"Come on," Coach insisted, turning, and hoping to inspire the crowd. He clapped his hands together. "This season, giving your all is more important than ever."

Holding her knees as she caught her breath, Tina asked, "What's this leading to, Coach?"

Skipper jumped up and then hoisted me back to my feet. I ran my hand through my hair and Skipper snickered, glancing at all the strands defying gravity. She fixed my hair, patting my head and smiling. She was sunshine.

I smiled back, mirroring her head tilt.

"Thank you, Tina..." Coach sighed. "I have the honor to finally announce that the judging for the chipmunks' MVP contest has officially started."

Every cell in my body awakened.

"As we all know, it comes with a trophy, some recognition, and a cash prize, girls," the Coach tried to hype the team with the promise of cold hard cash. "So, focus on your sport, your grades, and your community."

"I'm gonna go for that," I said to Skipper, but I turned, and she was gone. Skipper had evaporated and appeared by the goal. She had her hand extended against the post, smiling down at Elena, who was stuffing her curls into a ponytail. Little cartoon hearts were in their eyes and panic zipped through me.

Picking my feet up, I headed for them so I could figure out what was going on and, hopefully, butt in at a good time. Not knowing what they were talking about worried me as much as paper cuts, burning my tongue on coffee, and driving by eighteen wheelers on the highway. But Coach's voice caught me like a fish on a hook, ripping into me and pulling me back. He announced to the entire universe, placing me in the spotlight, "And we even have Zoey here whose sister Jess won MVP her senior year. How cool is that?"

All eyes on me, I suddenly had to perform. I smiled pleasantly enough, remembering the way Jess came barreling into the house that day, yelling at the top of her lungs about how she won. I thought the house would collapse. Nothing lived in that place louder than a librarian's polite murmur, but my parents allowed it, and we all went out to eat to celebrate.

"Yep, Jess won," I said.

"Are we going to continue the legacy?" He asked me.

"Of course, coach."